Pitch Training Device With Adjusted Center of Mass

ABSTRACT

A device for training a person to throw a ball includes a body. The body defines a first planar surface, a second planar surface, and a curved surface. The first planar surface is defined at a first end of the body. The second planar surface is defined at a second end of the body. The curved surface is defined between the first planar surface and second planar surface. The device has a center of mass that is located outside of the geometric center of the device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Provisional U.S. PatentApplication No. 63/192,945 (“the '945 application), which was filed onMay 25, 2021. The entire contents of the '945 application areincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to training tools or pitchtraining devices that improve throwing technique for sports that involvea thrown ball. Examples of such sports include baseball, softball, andcricket. More specifically, the present invention relates to thosetraining tools that resemble a thick disk, biscuit, or flattened ball,and provide immediate visual feedback upon being thrown.

In many sports, the physics of a ball's flight through the air demandprecise throwing mechanics by the user to achieve command and accuracy.For example, in the sport of baseball, a baseball thrown by a pitcherobserves many properties of classical, or Newtonian mechanics, found intranslational motion or ballistic flight. Properties, such as thebaseball's weight and rotation around its center of gravity, factor intothe ball's flight path. That path, however, varies greatly from anybasic theoretical ballistic flight calculation due, at least in part, tothe baseball's raised stitching at its seams, which induce additionalfactors such as lift, drag, and Magnus forces that affect the ball'strajectory. Those forces, in turn, magnify the effects of the baseball'saxis of rotation and angular speed, which determine the ball'strajectory and create a variety of baseball pitches that exhibit varyingcurves and bends during flight. These pitches can broadly be identifiedas fastballs, curveballs, sinkers, and sliders, among others. For thosereasons, baseball pitches, even those with the simplest throwingtechnique, can be difficult to master.

With the aim of refining the fundamental techniques for throwing a ball,several tools of the art exist, and as mentioned some resemble a thickdisc, biscuit, or flattened ball. These tools generally exhibit acircular profile with two planar sides parallel to one another, andexhibit weights identical to those of a softball or baseball. Thesetools aim to provide visual feedback, indicating whether the tools werethrown with the proper technique, by not wobbling during its flightthrough the air. More specifically, the lack of wobble indicates thatthe tool's axis of rotation is stable and fixed in all three dimensionsrelative to a horizontal plane during the entire flight, therebyindicating a properly thrown tool. The technique used to properly throwsuch a tool is then transferred to the throwing of an actual ball.

At present, training tools do not address a major factor that determinesthe flight path of a thrown ball. That factor is the pressure orpressures that a pitcher needs to exert on the ball to execute aparticular pitch. Specifically, training tools do not train a pitcher tolearn by feel where and to what extent pressure needs to be exertedthrough the throwing hand and its fingers.

SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Therefore, there is a need for a pitch training device that contains anadjusted center of mass.

According to one embodiment, a device for training a person to throw aball with proper technique comprises a body, with the body beingsubstantially disk-shaped and further comprising a first planar surfaceand a second planar surface, wherein the first planar surface and thesecond planar surface lie substantially parallel to each other andexhibit substantially equal diameters. The device also comprises acircular outer surface lying between the first planar surface and secondplanar surface and comprises a thickness defined by the distance betweenthe first planar surface and second planar surface. The device furthercomprises a center of mass not located at the geometric center of thedevice.

According to another embodiment, a method for pitch training comprisesgripping an unevenly-weighted device, throwing that device, and feelingthe pressures and wrist movements required to properly throw the device.The method further comprises remembering those required pressures andwrist movements and replicating them when throwing an evenly-weighteddevice. [0008] According to another embodiment, a pitch trainingapparatus comprises a body, with the body being substantiallydisk-shaped and further comprising a first planar surface and a secondplanar surface, wherein the first planar surface and the second planarsurface lie substantially parallel to each other and exhibitsubstantially equal diameters. The device also comprises a circularouter surface lying between the first planar surface and second planarsurface and comprises a thickness defined by the distance between thefirst planar surface and second planar surface. The device furthercomprises a center of mass not located at the geometric center of thedevice as well as at least one processor, at least one sensor, and atleast one memory including computer program code for one or moreprograms. The at least one memory and the computer program code areconfigured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus toperform at least the following: record information related to themovement and position of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, andnot by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1A depicts an exploded perspective view a training device accordingto an embodiment;

FIG. 1B depicts a cross-sectional perspective view of a training deviceaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 1C depicts a cross-sectional view of a training device according toan embodiment;

FIG. 2A depicts a cross-sectional view of a training device according toan embodiment;

FIG. 2B depicts an exploded perspective view a training device accordingto an embodiment;

FIG. 2C depicts a close-up cross-sectional view of a training deviceaccording to an embodiment;

FIG. 3A depicts a cross-sectional view of a training device according toan embodiment;

FIG. 3B depicts an exploded perspective view a training device accordingto an embodiment;

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a training device according to anembodiment;

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart for a method of pitch training according toan embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

Examples of a pitch training device that exhibits an adjusted center ofmass, is designed for sports (e.g., baseball, softball, cricket ball),and maximizes visual feedback are disclosed. In the followingdescription, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details areset forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of theembodiments of the invention. It is apparent, however, to one skilled inthe art that the embodiments of the invention may be practiced withoutthese specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In otherinstances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagramform in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 1A depicts, according to an embodiment, an exploded view of a pitchtraining device 100, which includes which includes two half-bodies 102and a core 104. Each half-body 102 may be manufactured from aninjection-molded thermoplastic material that exhibits a hardness greaterthan the hardness of leather. Each half-body 104 resembles a hemispherewith a spherical cap removed, creating a first planar surface 106 and asecond planar surface 108 (hidden from view) with each planar surface106, 108 having substantially equal diameters. One half-body 102 adefines a void 110 a with a circular opening, and the second half-body102 b also defines a void with a circular opening (hidden from view).The void 110 of each half-body 102 is oriented so that the plane of eachcircular opening is aligned to be substantially parallel with itsrespective planar surface 106, 108. While FIG. 1A depicts the void astaking the shape of a partial sphere, or a portion of a sphere, the voidin other embodiments may take on any number of shapes (e.g., partialellipse, partial rectangle, partial cube, partial triangle, or partialdodecahedron). Each void 110 is designed for the receipt andencapsulation of the core 104. The volume, size, or shape of the void110 a does not equal the volume, size, or shape of void 110 b. Onehalf-body 102 contains scaffolding 112, or a supporting framework,extending and connecting between the void 110 and both the first planarsurface 102 and the circular outer surface 114 of its respective half.

The scaffolding 112 of each half-body 102 contributes one portion of anenveloping scaffolded interior that surrounds the core 104 and isdistributed throughout the volume of the training device outside thecore 104. According to other embodiments, the scaffolding 112 mayinclude a variety of designs, including, but not limited to, the form ofstraight ribs or studs extending radially from the void 110. Accordingto the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the scaffolding is depicted as a type ofthree-dimensional lattice, which defines the edges of substantiallyrhomboidal openings. In other embodiments, instead of scaffolding, thehalf-bodies 102 may be substantially filled with a material (e.g.,polyurethane foam, cork, rubber, or thermoplastic). In anotherembodiment, an enveloping interior surrounding the core is notscaffolded. For example, the enveloping interior may be evenlydistributed throughout the volume of the training device outside thecore and may be comprised of thermoplastic material. The thermoplasticmaterial may be injection-molded. In further embodiments, instead of orin addition to the scaffolding, the half-bodies may be substantiallyfilled with a liquid (e.g., water or oil). One half-body 102 a presentsa substantially planar interior side with at least one raisedinterlocking member 116 and defines at least one interlocking void 118.The other half-body 102 b presents an identical number of interlockingmembers (hidden from view) and interlocking voids (hidden from view) sothat each half-body 102 may interlock with each other.

According to an embodiment, the core 104 is substantially solid andspherical, thereby allowing the pitch training device to mimic themoments of inertia exhibited by a ball with a core denser than thedensity found in the remainder of the ball, such as in a baseball orsoftball. The core 104 is comprised of a material that is denser thanthe density of a half-body 102. The core 104 in its preferredembodiment, has a diameter of between 10 percent and 50 percent of thegreatest diameter found within the pitch training device 100.

FIG. 1B depicts an exploded, cross-sectional view of a pitch trainingdevice according to an embodiment. The volume, size, or shape of void110 a does not equal the volume, size, or shape of void 110 b. When thetwo half-bodies 110 come together and interlock, the voids 110substantially encapsulate the core 104.

According to an embodiment, FIG. 1C depicts a cross-sectional view of anassembled pitch training device. The core 104 is substantiallyencapsulated by the half-bodies 102, but the center of the core is notpositioned at the training device's geometric center, or centroid.Therefore, the training device's center of mass, or center of gravity,has been adjusted or shifted away from the training device's geometriccenter. The half-bodies, being affixed to each other, create a singlebody 122. The body 112 of the training device exhibits a thicknessdefined by the distance between the first planar surface 106 and thesecond planar surface 108. According to an embodiment, the body 112 issubstantially disk-shaped. According to an embodiment, the thicknessmeasures between 30 mm and 76 mm in an embodiment.

According to an embodiment, FIG. 2A depicts a cross-sectional view of anassembled pitch training device. The core 204 is substantiallyencapsulated by the half-bodies 202, and the center of the corepositioned at the training device's geometric center, or centroid. Thecenter of mass of the training device, however, is adjusted by affixingweights 218 into the voids defined by the scaffolding in one of thehalf-bodies 202 a. According to an embodiment, the weights 218 maycomprise ball bearings. While the weights 218 are depicted as spheres inFIG. 4 , they can comprise any number of shapes. The weights 218, inother embodiments, may substantially fill the voids in the scaffolding.Weights 218 may be comprised of any material suitable for affixing inthe voids of scaffolding (e.g., plastic, rubber, polyurethane, stainlesssteel, aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium, or an alloy thereof). Inother embodiments, weights 218 may be comprised of a liquid (e.g., wateror oil). While depicted substantially as a sphere in FIG. 2A, in yetother embodiments, the core 404 may comprise a shape suitable to mimicthe properties of the type of pitch the user is practicing to throw orsuitable to teach the user proper technique for throwing a type ofpitch.

FIG. 2B depicts an exploded perspective view of a pitch training deviceaccording to an embodiment. When the pitch training device is assembled,the weights 218 affix to one of the half-bodies 202 a within the voidsdefined by the scaffolding 112 and are located concentrically around thecore 204.

FIG. 2C depicts a close-up interior view for a portion of a half-body202 a according to an embodiment. The weights 218 are situated withinthe voids defined by the scaffolding 112.

FIG. 3A depicts a cross-sectional view of an assembled pitch trainingdevice. The core 304 is substantially encapsulated by the half-bodies302, and the center of the core positioned at the training device'sgeometric center, or centroid. The center of mass of the trainingdevice, however, is adjusted by affixing weight 318 to the first planarside 308 but not to the second planar side 306. While the weight 318 isdepicted as substantially a disc, the weight may comprise any number ofshapes (e.g, hemisphere, cone, raised dots). The weight 318, in otherembodiments, may comprise a thickness suitable for use with a specifictype of pitch. Weight 218 may be comprised of any material suitable foradjusting the position of the center of mass away from the geometriccenter of the training device (e.g., plastic, rubber, polyurethane,stainless steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium, or an alloythereof).

FIG. 3B depicts an exploded perspective view of a pitch training deviceaccording to an embodiment. When the pitch training device is assembled,the weight 318 is affixed to one of the half-bodies 302 a at asubstantially planar interface. The weight 318 can be affixed to thehalf-body 302 a in any number of ways including, but not limited to,ultrasonic welding, screwing, riveting, adhesive. In other embodiments,the weight 318 is not physically separate from the center disc 301 andrequires no affixing to the half-body 302 a.

FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a pitch training device accordingto an embodiment. The training device includes raised surface elements420 designed to mimic the feel and look of the seams on a baseball. Atleast a portion of the first planar surfaces 406 and second planarsurface (hidden from view) comprise some color or a plurality of colorsthat varies from the rest of the training device. Such colors may be anycolor (e.g., black, grey, red, blue, white, or any other color).According to an embodiment, the color of the first and second planarsurfaces may be substantially the same as the rest of the trainingdevice. In other embodiments, the training device may comprise aspherical cap affixed to the first planar surface 406 and the secondplanar surface at a substantially planar interface. With the sphericalcaps affixed, the training device may exhibit a shape substantiallyresembling a full sphere or ball.

According to an embodiment, the pitch training device may be comprisedof thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material may beinjection-molded. In another embodiment, the training device comprisesmaterial that resists scuffing and has a hardness greater than leather.

In other embodiments, the training device can be configured to have anoverall mass between 113 g and 454 g, which includes masses that aresuitable for weighted ball training. For purposes of baseball training,the training device can be configured to have an overall mass between142 g to 149 g. For purposes of softball training, the training devicecan be configured to have an overall mass between 165 g to 198 g. Forpurposes of cricket training, the training device can be configured tohave an overall mass between 155 g to 163 g.

In yet other embodiments, the training device comprises a core with adensity greater than the density in the remainder of the trainingdevice. The core may exhibit a density between 2.72 g/cm cubed and 8.80g/cm cubed. As an example, the core may be comprised of stainless steel,aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium, or an alloy thereof. In otherembodiments, the training device may comprise a mass suitable toaccommodate weighted-ball training. Embodiments for training baseball orsoftball pitchers may require planar surfaces 303 that have a diameterof between 50 mm and 102 mm.

According to an embodiment, the training device's center of mass may beadjusted by the user. In some embodiments, the training device's centerof mass is determined prior to its manufacture and fixed oncemanufactured.

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart 500 of a process for pitch training using anunevenly-weighted device, or a training device whose center of mass, orcenter of gravity, has been adjusted or shifted away from the trainingdevice's geometric center. According to some embodiments, theunevenly-weighted device may be substantially disk-shaped while in otherembodiments, the unevenly-weighted device may be substantially sphericalor ball-shaped. The unevenly-weighted device may be designed with acenter of mass suitable for a type of pitch or types of pitches (e.g.,fastball, curveball, slider, change-up, sinker, cutter, or somecombination thereof). At step 501, a user grips an unevenly-weighteddevice. At step 503, the user throws the device, using mechanics andtechnique suitable for the type of pitch the device was designed for.When throwing the and technique appropriate for the type of pitch theunevenly-weighted device was designed for. At step 505, the user feelsat least one pressure required by at least one finger of the grippinghand to properly throw the unevenly-weighted device. The user furtherfeels the characteristics of the movement of the wrist (e.g., snapforce, snap direction) attached to the gripping hand that is required toproperly throw the unevenly-weighted device. At step 507, the userremembers the at least one pressure and the movement of the wrist to, atstep 509, replicate them when throwing an unevenly-weighted device.According to an embodiment, the unevenly-weighted device may exhibitproper throwing technique if the that device exhibits no wobble whenthrown.

As an example, a user may use an unevenly-weighted device designed totrain a pitcher to employ the finger pressures, wrist angle, and wristsnap required to throw a curveball. The unevenly-weighted device may besubstantially disk-shaped. For the first throw, the user fails to throwthe unevenly-weighted device properly, and therefore, the device visiblywobbles as it travels through the air. After several throws, the usernotices that the device has ceased wobbling during throws. This meansthat the user is consistently and properly throwing the device byapplying the appropriate pressures and movements through the fingers andwrist. In other words, the user has developed the proper mechanics tothrow a curveball. Recalling the feeling of these pressures andmovements, the user then attempts to use the newly learned mechanics inthrowing a curveball with an evenly-weighted device—a baseball. If theuser properly replicates the mechanics learned from throwing theunevenly-weighted device, the user will throw a proper curveball with abaseball.

According to an embodiment, the training device further comprises atleast one processor, at least one sensor, at least one memory, at leastone communication network, and a user interface, which includes computerprogram code for one or more programs. The processor, at least onsensor, at least one memory, and a user interface may be communicativelyconnected directly or indirectly to each other via the communicationnetwork. The at least one memory and the computer program code areconfigured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus torecord information related to movement and position of the trainingdevice. Such information may include, but is not limited to, angularvelocity, linear velocity, spin axis orientation, orientation, linearacceleration, angular acceleration, or some combination thereof.

A processor (or multiple processors) performs a set of operations,instructions, or code on information related to recording and outputtinginformation about the training device's motion and position (e.g.,orientation, angular velocity, rotation axis angle, movement through a3D Cartesian coordinate system) to a memory. The processor can be anysuitable processing device configured to run or execute a set ofinstructions or code (e.g., stored in the memory) such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU), general purpose processor (GPP), a graphicsprocessor unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an applicationspecific integrates circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array(FPGA), or any other programmable logic device, discrete gate ortransistor logic, discrete hardware components, controller,microcontroller, or any combination thereof designed to perform thefunctions described herein. For example, a processor can be implementedas a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality ofmicroprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSPcore, or any other such configuration.

Computer program code is a set of instructions or statements providinginstructions for the operation of the processor and/or the computersystem to perform specified functions. The code, for example, may bewritten in a computer programming language that is compiled into anative instruction set of the processor. The code may also be writtendirectly using the native instruction set (e.g., machine language). Eachoperation of the set of operations that can be performed by theprocessor is represented to the processor by information calledinstructions, such as an operation code of one or more digits. Asequence of operations to be executed by the processor such as asequence of operation codes, constitute processor instructions, alsocalled computer system instructions or, simply, computer instructions.Processors may be implemented as mechanical, electrical, magnetic,optical, chemical or quantum components, among others, alone or incombination.

In some embodiments, the at least one sensor may be any type of sensorappropriate for recording any aspect of the training device's motion orposition once thrown. Sensors may include, for example,microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), single-axis angular rate gyros,multi-axis angular rate gyros, multi-axis accelerometers, inertialsensors, global-positioning-system sensors.

The memory can be any form of storage medium including, but not limitedto: random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM), a cache, a hard drive, a flashdrive, a removable disk, a Secure Digital card (SD card), registers,and/or memory buffer or any combination thereof. The memory can be incommunication with the processor such that the processor can readinformation from, and write information to, the memory.

In some example embodiments, the user interface may include a mobilecomputing device such as a laptop computer, tablet computer, mobilephone, smart phone, navigation unit, personal data assistant, watch,camera, or the like. Additionally or alternatively, the user interfacemay be a fixed computing device, such as a personal computer, computerworkstation, kiosk, office terminal computer or system, or the like. Theuser interface may be configured to access a memory via a processingcomponent such as a pitch logging application.

A communication network may be wired, wireless, or any combination ofwired and wireless communication networks, such as cellular, Wi-Fi,Bluetooth, internet, local area network (LAN), radio frequency signals,optical network.

In some example embodiments, the user interface may include a mobilecomputing device such as a laptop computer, tablet computer, mobilephone, smart phone, navigation unit, personal data assistant, watch,camera, or the like. In addition, or in the alternative, the userinterface may be a fixed computing device, such as a personal computer,computer workstation, kiosk, office terminal computer or system, or thelike. The user interface may be configured to access a memory via aprocessing component such as a pitch logging application.

In some example embodiments a computer program product is provided. Thecomputer program product comprises at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program codeinstructions stored therein, the computer-executable program codeinstructions comprising program code instructions for receivinginformation related to the movement and position of a training device.The computer-executable program code instructions may further compriseprogram code instructions for extracting information related to themotion and position of the training device. The computer-executableprogram code instructions may further comprise program code instructionsfor calculating information related to motion and position of thetraining device (e.g., angular velocity, linear velocity, revolutionsper minute, orientation of the rotation axis, orientation of the spinaxis).

In some embodiments, a pitching machine is connected to thecommunication network, and information related to the motion andposition of the training device is output to the pitching machine tocontrol how the pitching machine should throw a pitch (e.g., control theangle, velocity, spin).

While the invention has been described in connection with a number ofembodiments and implementations, the invention is not so limited butcovers various obvious modifications and equivalent arrangements, whichfall within the purview of the appended claims. Although features of theinvention are expressed in certain combinations among the claims, it iscontemplated that these features can be arranged in any combination andorder.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for training a person to throw a ball,the device comprising: a body, the body defining a first planar surfaceat a first end of the body and a second planar surface at a second endof the body; and a curved surface disposed between the first planarsurface and second planar surface, wherein the device has a center ofmass that is located outside of the geometric center of the device. 2.The device of claim 1, further comprising: a core that is a solid andthat is disposed within the body.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein thebody is made up of two half-bodies, each half body defining part of avoid that accommodates the core therein, the void accommodating the coreoutside of the geometric center of the device.
 4. The ball of claim 3,wherein each half-body defines a scaffolded interior that surrounds thecore, the scaffolded interior having a plurality of openings within thescaffolding; and at least one weight is disposed in at least one of theopenings within the scaffolding.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein theat least one weight is a ball bearing.
 6. The device of claim 4, whereinthe at least one weight is a solid at room temperature and is made of ametal or a metal alloy.
 7. The device of claim 4, wherein the at leastone weight is a liquid at room temperature.
 8. The device of claim 3,wherein a first of the two half-bodies contains more mass than a secondof the two half-bodies.
 9. The device of claim 1, further comprising: adisk that is coupled to either the first or second planar surface. 10.The device of claim 9, wherein the disk has a mass between 5 g and 100g.
 11. A pitch training apparatus, wherein the apparatus furthercomprises: a body, the body defining a first planar surface at a firstend of the body and a second planar surface at a second end of the body,and a curved surface disposed between the first planar surface andsecond planar surface, wherein the device has a center of mass that islocated outside of the geometric center of the device; at least oneprocessor; at least one sensor; and at least one memory storing computerinstructions, which when executed by the at least one processor causethe apparatus to record information related to a movement and a positionof the pitch training apparatus.